National nursing group honors IU School of Nursing

INDIANAPOLIS -- The National League for Nursing has chosen Indiana University School of Nursing as a Center of Excellence in Nursing Education for sustained efforts in promoting the pedagogical expertise of faculty. The school will be recognized at the league's Education Summit in San Diego.

The designation applies to the core school, which is composed of the Bloomington and IUPUI campuses and was first given the honor in 2007. This is the third consecutive time the school has received the designation, which will extend through 2022.

"We are honored to receive the designation as a Center of Excellence for our dedication to nursing education research and generating knowledge about the most effective and best practices in teaching nursing students," said Distinguished Professor Robin Newhouse, dean of the IU School of Nursing. "It's a wonderful and well-deserved recognition of the leadership, dedication and expertise of our faculty and staff. It validates the excellence of our educational programs that empower leaders."

According to the organization, the National League for Nursing's mission is to promote "excellence in nursing education to build a strong and diverse nursing workforce to advance the health of our nation and the global community." The Center of Excellence designation seeks to recognize those institutions that demonstrate "outstanding innovations, commitment and sustainability of excellence" in achieving their own missions when it comes to nursing education.

The School of Nursing has demonstrated these qualities over the years in a variety of ways. Examples include constant revision of the curricula for all degree programs offered to reflect changing health care needs, opportunities for engagement in health policy and global affairs, interprofessional experiences, faculty development initiatives, and the undergraduate honors research program.

The school carries a second Center of Excellence designation from the league for advancing the science of nursing education. That designation was first conferred in 2012 and extends through 2021.

"The IU School of Nursing is known for educational innovation, generation of best-practice educational models and advancement of the science of nursing education," said Susan Hendricks, associate dean for undergraduate programs. "These characteristics reflect our mission to 'prepare outstanding nurses to be clinicians, leaders, innovators and scientists,' and it's a mission on which we've been focused for over 100 years."

About the Indiana University School of Nursing

Since 1914, the Indiana University School of Nursing has been empowering leaders in practice, research, education and service. Ranked 24th among schools and colleges of nursing for National Institutes of Health funding, the school is known for its robust program of research focused on quality of life in chronic illness, nursing education, and cancer prevention and control. Programs range from three undergraduate options, nine tracks in the master's program, post-master's options, a Ph.D. in nursing science, a leadership-focused Doctor of Nursing Practice and continuing-education opportunities. The 2017 Best Graduate Schools rankings by U.S. News & World Report place the master's and DNP programs at No. 1 in the state of Indiana, with the master's in the top 10 percent and the DNP in the top 12 percent of all schools surveyed. Learn more about the IU School of Nursing online.

About the National League for Nursing

Dedicated to excellence in nursing, the National League for Nursing is the premier organization for nurse faculty and leaders in nursing education. The NLN offers professional development, networking opportunities, testing services, nursing research grants and public policy initiatives to its 40,000 individual and 1,200 institutional members. NLN members represent nursing education programs across the spectrum of higher education and health care organizations and agencies.